The BEST Corsair Whistle Ever Recorded-This'll Give You Chills - World War Wings Advertisement Just Listen To That Insane Whistle The Chance Vought F4U Corsair was designed as a one seat fighter plane able to take off and land on carriers in 1938. Unfortunately for Vought and the U.S. Navy, a nimble enough Corsair would only be shipped years later, in 1944. Until an improved model was made available, the fighter would operate from shore. Vought themselves couldn’t handle the orders so many of the Corsairs ended up being manufactured by Brewster and Goodyear. Advertisement With only enough room for one pilot, a wingspan of 41 ft and a weight of nine thousand pounds, the gull-winged Corsair could reach a speed of 417 mph, fly at almost 37 thousand feet and climb 2900 feet per minute. It had six M2 Browning machine guns mounted on the wings and the capacity to carry twenty rockets or two thousand pounds worth of bombs.

As if Corsair wasn’t a great name in the first place, the fighter soon earned itself many other nicknames, none as ominous as the Whistling Death, rumored to have originated from Japanese soldiers who heard the plane diving menacingly above their positions. Due to its ability to descend quickly, the Chance Vought F4U Corsair also won the label of kamikaze killer, the fighter often saving Allied ships and carriers from Japanese planes. Advertisement F4U Corsair Nicknamed "Whistling Death" F4U Corsair Nicknamed "Whistling Death" Overland Park, Kansas, United States Posts F4U Corsair Nicknamed "Whistling Death" Adoption by U.S. Forces The U.S. Navy first operated the F4U-1on September 25, 1942 during carrier qualification trials aboard the USS Sangamon. Due to design flaws, (mainly the aircraft’s undesirable stalling tendency and bouncy landing gear) the Navy declared the Corsair unsuitable for carrier ops. It instead opted to utilize the Grumman F6F Hellcat, a fighter with far better carrier landing qualities.

The Navy passed the Corsair along to the Marine Corps (USMC), which operated predominately from land bases. The Marines had a more favorable response to the aircraft, and the Corsair was approved for combat use in late 1942, though only from land bases. Corsairs in the USMC While the P-51 Mustang dominated WWII’s European Theater, the Corsair commanded the Pacific. F4U-1s were first used by Marine squadron VMF-124, a land unit based at Henderson Field in Guadalcanal. Twelve Corsairs arrived at the base on February 12, 1943 and first flew the following day. The aircraft’s first combat engagement took place on February 14, in what would become known as the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. For this operation, the squadron’s F4Us, commanded by Major William E. Gise, assisted P-40s and P-38s in escorting a formation of Consolidated B-24 Liberators. Together the aircraft carried out a raid on the Japanese aerodrome at Kahili. Though this debut was unimpressive, the Marines quickly learned how to strategically operate the aircraft.

Within six months of the F4U’s combat debut, all USMC units in the Pacific were outfitted with the Corsair. VMF-124’s 2nd Lt. Kenneth A. Walsh became the first Corsair ace, eventually accumulating 21 kills during the war (with 17 against the A6M Zero). Per Walsh, “the F4U could outperform the Zero in every aspect except slow speed maneuverability and slow speed climb.” VMF-113 was also successful with the Corsair. The squadron received 24 F4Us and shot down four Japanese aircraft on March 26, 1944 while escorting four B-25s on a raid over Ponape. On April 22, they were tasked with providing air support while Company 1, 111th Infantry Regiment landed and began their 10-month occupation of Ujelang. This assault was unopposed, and the squadron spent the remainder of 1944 striking Japanese targets in the Marshall Islands. The most famous Marine unit to operate the Corsair in WWII was VMF-214, the Black Sheep Squadron.

This squadron, led by legendary aviator Maj. Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, operated in the Solomon Islands region known as “The Slot.” Boyington is credited with 22 kills from the Corsair (though historians believe this number is embellished) and received the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross for his actions. In the 1970s, Boyington was portrayed by Robert Conrad on the short-lived television series Baa Baa Black Sheep. Lucky Lindy Pilots the Corsair As the F4U’s role in the Pacific Theater expanded, Charles A. Lindbergh flew Corsairs with the Marines. Lindbergh was brought in as a civilian technical advisor for United Aircraft Corporation (parent company of Chance-Vought) to determine the best way to increase the Corsair’s payload and range. Vought was looking to determine the plane’s viability as an attack aircraft and to evaluate possible future fighter designs (single vs. twin) based on Lindbergh’s assessments. During these trials, Lindbergh managed to get the Corsair airborne with 4,000 lbs. of bombs, consisting of a 2,000-lb.

centerline bomb and a 1,000-lb. bomb under each wing. Over the course of his experiments, Lindbergh performed strikes on Japanese strongholds during the Battle for the Marshall Islands. Naval Acceptance of the F4U Although the Navy initially passed most Corsairs on to the USMC, it chose to equip two naval units with the F4U. VF-12 received the Corsair in October 1942 and completed deck qualification by April 1943. Despite passing carrier trials, the unit turned its F4Us over to the Marines shortly thereafter. VF-17, the famous squadron nicknamed the “Jolly Rogers,” became the first Navy unit to operate the F4U-1A. The squadron received its Corsairs in April 1943, but removed them from its ship, the USS Bunker Hill, because of a perceived difficulty in acquiring parts while at sea. In November 1943, while serving as a land-based unit in the Solomon Islands, VF-17 reinstalled the tail hooks on its Corsairs so they could land and fuel while rendering top cover for a task force participating in the bombing of Rabaul.

On November 11, VF-17’s pilots landed, refueled, and took off from the USS Bunker Hill and the USS Essex. Five months later, the Navy finally accepted the F4U for carrier operations. Continuing Service in the Pacific As the war effort continued, Corsairs enjoyed increasing utility throughout the Pacific. By Spring 1944, Marine pilots were demonstrating the F4U’s abilities as a close-support aircraft during amphibious landings. By early 1945, the Corsair was dropping high explosive bombs, napalm, high velocity aircraft rockets (HVARs), Bat glide bombs, and 11.75-in Tiny Tim Rockets. The Corsair became a prominent aircraft in Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Palau, the Philippines, and the Central Pacific. VMFs -312, -323, & -224 were successful in the Battle of Okinawa, where they combated the Kamikaze and flew from fleet and escort carriers.

Due to the F4U’s performance in these engagements, many Japanese pilots regarded the Corsair as the most formidable American fighter of WWII, for which they nicknamed the aircraft “Whistling Death.” By the Numbers During WWII, Corsairs flew 64,051 operational sorties for the Navy and USMC (44% of all fighter aircraft), though only 9,581 sorties (15%) were flown from carriers. Over the course of the war, F4Us dropped 15,621 tons of bombs, which amounted to 70% of all bombs dropped by fighters. In aerial combat, Corsairs scored 2,140 victories while suffering just 189 losses for an impressive kill ratio of 11:1. Against the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, the F4U tallied a kill ratio of 12:1. Impressive as these numbers may be; official records indicate the Hellcat had the majority of kills in the Pacific Theater. In addition, the Corsair’s oft-cited 11:1 kill ratio doesn’t account for the significant number of F4U losses by other means.

Besides the 189 Corsairs downed in air-to-air combat, 349 were lost to anti-aircraft fire, 230 to accidents during combat missions, 692 to non-combat accidents, and 164 were destroyed on the ground or aboard ships. Despite these losses, the F4U made significant contributions to the Allied victory in the Pacific. This is part of a series of posts on the Chance Vought F4U Corsair written for RCFlightline.com by our staff writer Stephen Lewis (writeflyer) . Post a comment or question to share with others. Read parts one , two , three , four , five , and six . As an aircraft enthusiast, I have always felt everyone should know the history behind the aircraft industry, specifically the United States aircraft industry. As a country with freedoms like nowhere else in the world, we have also become the innovators of the world because of our freedom. We don't copy technology, we invent it! Last edited by Todd Carrison; 05-19-2013 at 11:07 PM.

Reason: updated links Whistling Death: How The Corsair Got Its Nickname | Fighter Sweep Whistling Death: How The Corsair Got Its Nickname Scott Wolff 2 Comments Military Aviation Whistling Death. It just sounds badass, doesn’t it? The Corsair, as the F4U built by Vought, or its identical twin the FG-1 (made by Goodyear), is one of the most iconic fighters of World War II. It could out-climb, out-run, and out-fight any propeller-driven aircraft it faced on the opposing side. Known for its distinctive design and huge propeller, the aircraft was also known for the peculiar sound it made at higher airspeed. In order to keep the Corsair as aerodynamically clean as possible, designers made sure there was nothing protruding into the surrounding air to produce additional drag. In addition to the innovative “bent-wing” design, the intake for the aircraft’s turbo-supercharger, intercooler and oil cooler were located in slots in the inboard leading edges of the wings.

Air running through those slots at high speeds gave the aircraft a very distinctive sound, and the Japanese tagged the fighter with the moniker, “Whistling Death.” The facts and figures surrounding the Corsair’s service at war’s end were staggering. Corsairs flew more than 64,000 sorties between the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. They accounted for over 2,100 victories in air combat with only 189 losses, producing an overall kill ratio of more than 11:1. It did especially well against the Mitsubishi A6M Zero , with a kill ratio of 12:1 versus that type. The Corsair also dropped 15,621 tons of bombs during the war, a figure approximate to 70% of the total number of bombs dropped by U.S. fighters during the entire war, regardless of theater. So based on those numbers, and given its exceptional performance, the “Whistling Death” moniker is well-earned. For those of you who haven’t actually heard the sound, check out this video of an FG-1 raging through the airspace during an airshow.

It’s absolutely chilling, and not difficult to imagine being in the position of a Japanese soldier on the ground as a Corsair screamed in to rain death. Happy Corsair Day (in Connecticut!), everyone! (Featured Photo By Scott Wolff) About the Author Scott Wolff is an accomplished writer and renowned aviation photojournalist. He has held the position of Managing Editor for a print flying lifestyle magazine, and is the Host and Editor for FighterSweep. Scott's area of expertise is military flight operations, drawing on ten years of experience working extensively with all branches of the armed forces. He holds an FAA pilot certificate, the culmination of a life-long passion for flying airplanes. Scott has received military altitude chamber training, emergency egress training, and has logged time in a variety of civilian and military aircraft. He is also a member of the International Society of Aviation Photographers and Nikon Professional Services. Related Posts Finding MIA’s: BentProp Project Part III stepwilk It’s a myth that the enemy gave fearsome names to American aircraft–“Whistling Death,” “Fork-Tailed Devil,” etc. If you’re the enemy, you don’t admit that you are terrified of somebody’s weapon, instead you give it a demeaning name.

The P-38 was in fact called The Picklefork by the Germans, not the Fork-Tailed Devil. Whether they do or not, the Soviets are far more likely to call the F-16 the Lawn Dart than the Fighting Falcon (or even Viper). It’s for good reason that Japanese WWII aircraft were given ridiculously ordinary names to categorize them–Oscar, Rufe, Nate, George, Hamp, etc. I’m sure the F4U was called “Whistling Death” during WWII, but the name was almost certainly bestowed on it from this side of the Pacific, perhaps by a fanciful journalist–hey, maybe a writer for a “flying lifesstyle magazine”–or a Chance-Vought PR guy. If you’re a Japanese pilot going up against the Corsair, you don’t start off one step back by openly admitting that it’s probably going to kill you. Bullphrog855 A Japanese pilot wouldn’t of heard the whistle in the first place, he’s in a rattling plane, flying so many kts with a giant engine in front of him. Even the sound of gun fire is hard to hear flying WW2 piston planes.

The name oriented from the Japaneses ground forces where the conditions for the whistle to happen where guaranteed to be met and the guys on the ground where for the most part, helpless. The names for Japanese aircraft were also just to simplify communication and nothing more. Bremont 1000+ images about F4U Corsair on Pinterest | Air force, Black sheep and Photo galleries Vought in the Vertical - Chance Vought's Corsair design is a serious lump of metal, but is both agile and powerful. Paul Bonhomme displays The Fighter Collection's Goodyear built ability to "get around the sky." 2 Vought F4U Corsair | WWII (USAAF) United States Vought F4U Corsair Vought F-8 Crusader ... * partial list 1934: Under the Air Mail Act, United Aircraft. was forced to divide its businesses, resulting in Boeing, United Airlines, and the United Aircraft Corp, of which Vought was a part. 1939: United Aircraft moved Vought to Stratford, CT where their Sikorsky division was located and renamed the entire division Vought-Sikorsky Aircraft. Additional Notes: Vought also designed the TBU Sea Wolf.

— manufactured by Consolidated Aircraft as the Consolidated TBY. Top Categories F4U Corsair the Marine's most famous fighting aircraft in World War II The Corsair's distinctive sound, which earned it among the Japanese the nickname of "Whistling Death", was caused by the wing-root inlets for the engine air. — the F4U Corsair was one of the great fighters of World War II ? one of those classics that captures everyone?s imagination. Historically accurate Military (USN / USMC) F4U Corsair blueprint Developed on 42"x 30" uncut master sheet Real blueprint, developed direct from a vellum master Takes the mystery out of the amazing F4U Vought Corsair One of the icons of military aviation Vought F4U Corsair Perhaps the best of all the US fighters used in World War II, and certainly the best naval fighter used in combat, the Vought Corsair had other claims to fame. It ... continues: Click here Hover Over Image to Enlarge It proved to be an indisputable air superiority fighter when it was brought in to service in the Pacific and continued to prove its worth through the Korean war.

Options (if any) & also purchased, you might like… Customers who bought the F4U Corsair also purchased: History and Description: F4U Corsair... Historically accurate Military (USN / USMC) F4U Corsair blueprint Developed on 42"x 30" uncut master sheet Real blueprint, developed direct from a vellum master Takes the mystery out of the amazing F4U Vought Corsair One of the icons of military aviation Vought F4U Corsair Perhaps the best of all the US fighters used in World War II, and certainly the best naval fighter used in combat, the Vought Corsair had other claims to fame. It... continues below Continued from above… to fame. It remained in production for a longer period than any other American fighter - 11 years - and it was the last piston-engined fighter in production for the US forces. Official figures credit the Corsair with an 11:1 ratio of kills to losses in combat with Japanese aircraft in World War II. "Sweetheart of Okinawa" to the U.S.

Marine Corps, "Whistling Death" to the Japanese, and "Bent-winged Bird" to the American ground forces that sheltered under the massive umbrella of ordnance which it delivered in the Pacific, the Corsair was universally acknowledged to be the finest naval fighter of the Second World War. Many people, and particularly its pilots, went further and claimed it to be the best single-seat fighter of any nation to emerge from that conflict. The F4U-1 Corsair was the largest production series The sub-series F4U-1A had a different hood for improved visibility, while the 1944 F4U-1D had a more powerful engine and heavier armament. The Corsair F4U-1 was the largest production series. A (war) total of 4,102 were built by Vought; 3,808 by Goodyear, which called them FG-1; 735 by Brewster, which called them F3A-1. Great Britain received 2,012 Corsairs, and New Zealand received 370.

Right: World War II F4U Corsair Production Line of the Chance Vought aircraft factory in Stratford, Connecticut. Operating from airstrips... Despite its formidable quality, however, and the fact that it was expressly designed for shipboard operations, the Corsair spent most of its wartime career confined to land bases, and it was not until the end of 1944 that it made its first operational sorties from American carriers in the Pacific. But the same problems which kept it from the U.S. Navy's carrier decks for two years after its introduction to operational service provided it with the opportunity to prove its superiority, at the eager and capable hands of U.S. Marine Corps pilots, to all enemy and, for that matter, friendly fighters in the South-West Pacific. Operating from airstrips on Guadalcanal and the Solomon Islands, the U.S. Marines forged the Corsair into an air supremacy weapon, meeting the Japanese Navy's Zero-Sen fighters on more than equal terms for the first time in the Pacific conflict, smashing them into the sea and jungle alike, and helping turn the tide of air combat permanently in favor of the Allied forces.

Most of the twenty-eight victories achieved by Major "Pappy" Boyington, the top-scoring U.S. Marine Corps fighter pilot, were gained from the cockpit of a Corsair, as were also the majority of the "kills" of the runner-up, Captain Joe Foss, with twenty-six victories, and other aces such as Majors Ken Walsh and Marion Carl, Commander Thomas Blackburn, Lieutenants Ike Kepford and Bob Hanson. Within six months of its introduction all Marine Corps fighter squadrons in the South Pacific were Corsair-equipped, but to Britain's Royal Navy was to go the distinction of first introducing the remarkable Chance Vought fighter to carrier service. Designing the Bent-Wing Bird The Corsair stemmed from a U.S. Navy design contest of February 1, 1938, the requirements specifying a single-seat shipboard fighter offering a particularly good service ceiling, and a speed which encouraged Chance Vought's design team to aim at producing the fastest fighter ever built. The Engineering Department of Chance Vought Aircraft, led by Rex B. Beisel, prepared several design studies to meet the Navy's requirements and, eventually, submitted two proposals during the following April.

These were designated V-166A, a fighter powered by a Pratt and Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp, then one of the most powerful production engines available to the U.S. aircraft industry, and V-166B, a more advanced design with the revolutionary Pratt and Whitney XR-2800-2 Double Wasp. As the most powerful engine available in the foreseeable future, the 2,000 h.p. Double Wasp was an obvious choice, except for the fact that it was still very much in the experimental stage, and its manufacturers were under considerable pressure from the U.S. Army Air Corps to concentrate all their facilities on the development and production of liquid-cooled engines. Since the Air Corps had backed the liquid-cooled inline engine, it was inevitable, in view of the strong inter-service rivalry, that the Navy should have favored the air-cooled radial. While proponents of the liquid-cooled power plant pointed out the immediate advantages of streamlining possible with inline engines, air-cooled radials were claimed to be appreciably lighter, less complex and less vulnerable to battle damage.

In the case of the Corsair, adherence to the air-cooled formula was to be fundamental to the success of this warplane. The airplane was huge, far bigger than any fighter I had ever seen. Most of it seemed to be engine. As soon as possible, I fired up the big bird and began going through the pre-take-off checks the moment the 2000-hp engine was warm. At length, I gingerly taxied forward, cursing the extremely poor ground visibility of this and all Navy fighters of the day; with its long nose stretching an unprecedented 12 ft in front of my windshield, the F4U was the champ of champs in this regard. Sinuous forward movement was an absolute must if I wanted to see anything out ahead. Lt Cdr Tommy Blackburn, VF-17, Floyd Bennett Field, 1943 Inverted gull wing arrangement The fighter's characteristic inverted gull wing arrangement was a neat solution to the problem of accommodating the massive power plant with its enormous airscrew while keeping undercarriage length and ground angle to a minimum, and simultaneously obtaining the optimum right angle for minimum drag at the junction of the wing and fuselage.

The wing was built in three sections, the centre section being integral with the fuselage, and was of single-spar type, the outer panels being fabric-covered aft of the main-spar, and the fuselage was a semi-monocoque structure built up in four sections, these being assembled individually with heavy, pressed flange bulkheads, extruded stiffener section stringers and heavy sheet skin. The combination of heavy frames and thick skin drastically reduced the number of longitudinal members and simplified construction. A new spot-welding technique evolved jointly by Chance Vought and the Naval Aircraft Factory resulted in an exceptionally smooth external finish. The mainwheel legs folded straight aft, with the wheels rotating through ninety degrees to lie flat in the wings where they were each completely enclosed by twin doors. The first production F4U-1 Corsair flew for the first time on June 25, 1942, at a time when the Allies were on a crumbling defensive throughout the entire Pacific. The Japanese Navy's Zero-Sen fighter had come as a shattering surprise to the western nations, and there was an immediate outcry for fighters capable of besting the Mitsubishi.

The Corsair promised to do just that, but it took time to eliminate its teething troubles and introduce it into service, albeit a remarkably short time. The U.S. Navy received its first F4U-1 on July 31, 1942, but the U.S. Marine Corps had priority, and by September sufficient Corsairs had been delivered to equip VMF-124 which had been formed on September 7th from the remnants of VMF-122. The Marine Corps pilots soon established decisive air superiority over the Japanese in that combat theatre, and within six months all Marine Corps fighter squadrons in the South Pacific were Corsair-equipped. Even before the XF4U-1 had been completed and flown, it had become the yardstick by which the Navy judged other aircraft and the goal that other manufacturers strove to attain. The prototype was fitted with an XR-2800-4 engine affording 1,805 h.p. for take-off and 1,460 h.p. at 21,500 ft., armament comprising one 0.3-in. gun and one 0.5-in.

gun in the upper decking of the forward fuselage, and a single 0.5-in. gun in each wing, and there was also a receptacle in each wing for ten light bombs which were to be dropped on bomber formations. The idea of bombing enemy formations, although to be abandoned in the production Corsair, was subsequently used with some success by the Luftwaffe against American bomber formations over Germany. The first flight of the XF4U-1, with Lyman A. Bullard Jnr. at the controls, took place on May 29, 1940 at Stratford, Connecticut, and the sensational performance of the new fighter was immediately apparent. Further flight testing confirmed the remarkable capabilities of the XF4U-1 which, during a flight from Stratford to Hartford on October 1st., attained a speed of 404 m.p.h., thus becoming the first U.S. fighter of any type to exceed the 400 m.p.h. mark in level flight. The Corsair was accorded much publicity for this flight, although the precise figure attained was not to be revealed for some years, and it was indirectly responsible for Pratt and Whitney being given permission by General H. H.

Arnold, chief of the U.S. Army Air Corps, to abandon their liquid-cooled engine program. He dove down even lower to pick up speed, getting down to between 10 to 25 ft above the water. The F4U's top speed was 405 mph at sea level, so the Zeke was also moving at about that speed. I was probably gaining a little on him, but I couldn't stay wide open much longer or I would burn up my engine. If I fixed my sights on him in level position my bullets would hit the water behind him. By raising my nose the bullets would go straight for about 800 to 900 ft, then drop downward due to gravity. Even if he was 800 ft away, I would have to raise my sights above him. My plan was to lob the bullets into him so I fired another short burst. He hit the water and bounced back up and kept going. I knew I had the right angle on raising my nose so I fired again. He hit the water again and bounced back up. Again I fired and he hit the water and came back up. The fourth time, however, he went down to stay.

Lt Joe D Robbins, VBF-8, USS Shangri-La, 1945 Chance Vought and Sikorsky Aircraft Divisions In January 1943 the Chance Vought and Sikorsky Aircraft Divisions of the former Vought-Sikorsky Division of the United Aircraft Corporation had been reconstituted as separate manufacturing divisions to enable Chance Vought to devote all their energies to the development and production of combat aircraft, and the F4U-1D went into production with the reorganized concern in April 1944. The new model was also produced by Goodyear and Brewster as the FG-1D and F3A-1D respectively. The F4U-1D differed from the F4U-1A in having the unprotected outboard 51.6 Imp. gal. (62 U.S. gal.) wing tanks deleted, twin pylons provided beneath the centre section for two 1,000-lb. bombs or a 133 Imp. gal. (160 U.S. gal.) drop tank, and attachment points beneath the outer wing panels for an alternative external load of eight 5-in. rockets.

Water injection boosted the maximum take-off power of the R-2800-8W engine to 2,250 h.p. Some weight saving had resulted in a reduction in the empty weight from 8,873 lb. to 8,694.6 lb., normal loaded and overload weights being 12,039 lb. and 13,120 lb. respectively. Initial climb rate was boosted from 2,890 ft./min. to 3,120 ft./min., maximum speed ranged from 328 m.p.h. at 500 ft. to 349 m.p.h. at 10,000 ft. and 425 m.p.h. at 20,000 ft., and range with a 2,000-lb. bomb load was 500 miles. After finding the F4U more responsive to persuasion than dominance, "Dog Ears" Coleman, an 'ole country boy serving with VF-12, had remarked, "This plane is as co-operative as a hog on ice".

Thus the F4U was known for a long time as the Hog. Lt Cdr Tommy Blackburn, VF-17, Floyd Bennett Field, 1943 Shipboard operation... By the end of 1943, when the U.S. Navy signed contracts for no less than 4,699 Corsairs, the service still refused to accept the aircraft for shipboard operation. In. fact, in March 1944 the Chief of Naval Air Operational Training drew up a statement condemning the Corsair's deck-landing characteristics, stressing the fighter's tendency to bounce dangerously on landing, particularly in the hands of inexperienced pilots! To prevent this statement being promulgated, Chance Vought initiated a final development scheme' one of four presented by the company's engineers to eliminate once and for all the Corsair's built-in bounce, the scheme being known as "Programme Dog". The undercarriage oleo legs were redesigned to provide a long stroke with low rebound ratios, and the results of test flights were so encouraging that carrier trials aboard the U.S.S. Gambler Bay followed immediately.

These were performed in April 1944 by VF-301 whose Corsairs completed 113 landings with excellent results. All Corsair oleos were similarly modified, and the F4U-1 was finally cleared for shipboard service with the U.S. Navy. Surprisingly, the Corsair had been cleared by the Royal Navy for operation from carriers some nine months earlier, and the first operational sorties with the F.A.A. were undertaken by the Corsair IIs of No. 1834 Squadron from H.M.S. Victorious on April 3, 1944, when these aircraft provided fighter cover for torpedo-bombers attacking the German battleship Tirpitz.

Lend-Lease F4U-ls supplied to Britain were designated F4U-1B by their manufacturer, but in addition to the ninety-five Chance Vought-built F4U-ls and 510 F4U-lAs supplied to the Royal Navy, this service also received 430 Brewster-built F3A-lDs as Corsair IIIs and 977 Goodyear-built FG-IDs as Corsair IVs, Britain thus receiving 2,012 Corsairs which equipped nineteen squadrons. Corsair finally achieves its original design aim... Towards the end of 1944 the Corsair finally achieved its original design aim of shipboard operation when, on December 28th, VMF-124 began operations from the U.S.S. Essex. This unit and VMF-213 were the first Marine Corps fighter squadrons to operate from fast carriers in combat.

The threat of Japanese Kamikaze attacks had resulted in a Pacific Fleet High Command conference at Pearl Harbour during November 24-26, 1944, and a decision had been taken to increase the number of fighters aboard aircraft carriers for Kamikaze interception, and to ensure the procurement of the highest performing combat types. This inevitably meant extensive re-equipment with the Corsair since, earlier that year, on May 16th, after a series of comparative trials between the F6F-3 Hellcat and the F4U-1D Corsair, a Navy evaluation board had concluded : "It is the opinion of the board that generally the F4U is a better fighter, a better bomber and equally suitable carrier aircraft compared with the F6F. It is strongly recommended that the carrier fighter and or bomber complements be shifted to the F4U type." By the end of the Okinawa campaign, nearly every U.S. carrier was equipped with Corsairs, which, in the Pacific, were to be credited with the destruction of 2,140 enemy aircraft in aerial combat by V-J Day The Vought Corsair was the first U.S.

single-engine fighter to exceed 400 m.p.h sustained level flight ., and had much better performance than the F4F Wildcat, which was the current top-of-the-line Navy fighter when the Corsair was introduced. Unfortunately, due to its very long nose (which limited pilot visibility, especially during take-offs and landings), it was believed by the Navy high command to be unsuitable for carrier operations. Typically, when the Navy had an aircraft that it did not want, it gave them to the Marines (the F2A Buffalo, and later the F7F Tigercat being further examples). This is what happened to the Corsairs, as they were restricted to land bases. The Marines were happy to replace their old Wildcats with this hot new fighter, and soon showed everyone what the Corsair was capable of. Pappy Boyington and his Black Sheep Squadron was one of many who used the Corsair's abilities to its fullest. Later in the war it was proven that the Corsairs could operate safely off of carriers, and the "bent-wing birds" were used very successfully in helping to thwart the kamikaze raids in the war's final months.

Demand for the Corsairs was such that they were also produced by Brewster and Goodyear. Vought F4U Corsair cockpit -- layout and visibility. Summary: If you've never seen a F4U Corsair before, your first glance at the outsized propeller and "bent" wings might leave you with the feeling that either this warbird was assembled from parts that didn't match or it has met with some sort of disaster. But from all these outsized and mismatched parts came one of WWII's greatest fighter planes. It could outfight, out climb and (if need be) outrun any prop driven enemy. The Corsair was developed early in 1938, at the request of the U.S. Navy, which ordered the construction of a prototype on June 30. The head Vought designer, Tex B. Beisel, set to work with the idea of building the smallest body compatible with the most powerful engine available. He chose Pratt & Whitney's XR-2800 Double Wasp, a new 2,000-h.p. 18-cylinder radial then receiving some finishing touches.

This powerful engine required a large-diameter propeller to absorb the power, and this in turn led to the inverted gull-wing that characterized the Corsair. Thus the propeller disk was at a safe distance from the ground, and the landing gear struts were reduced in length. This last feature was extremely important for safe landing on carrier decks. The prototype, the XF4U-1, first took to the air on May 29, 1940. It was an outstanding success from its first test flights. On October 1, during a transfer flight, it became the first American fighter to break the 400-m.p.h. barrier. Finishing touches, however, took a long time. To begin with, the armament was increased, and this required repositioning the fuel tanks and adding one on the fuselage. This in turn meant that the cockpit had to be moved back almost three feet, creating problems of visibility for the pilot. It was the question of visibility that made authorities hesitate to use the plane on carriers. Nevertheless an initial contract for 584 F4Us was signed on June 30,1941, and the first production model was ready a year later.

By the end of 1942 the navy had received delivery of 178 aircraft, but the planes were not considered suitable for use on carriers until April, 1944. The Corsair became operational first with the Marine Corps, which used Vought Corsairs at Guadalcanal on February 13, 1943. Subsequently they were used as land-based planes by the Navy. Corsairs were manufactured for more than ten years, and they remained in service until at least 1965 ; total production was 12,681 aircraft. The Vought F4U Corsair was the best carrier-based fighter of World War II and in some respects was an even better plane than the superlative North American P-51 Mustang. Yet, despite these fine qualities, the Corsair spent nearly half its wartime career at land bases. For almost a year the naval authorities considered it unsuitable for carrier duty. This formidable plane racked up an impressive number of victories.

In the Pacific theater alone, in the course of 64,051 missions, Corsairs downed 2,140 enemy planes while only 189 Corsairs were lost - a ratio unmatched in the history of air warfare. The F4U Corsair was such a solid design it was used well after the war into the 1950's in a variety of roles. For a plane type that is assumed to make some concessions to its carrier-based operation, the F4U proved to be an outstanding design. If it weren't slightly range limited compared to the P51, P38 or P47, it could have easily filled any of the roles they were used for as well in the Pacific. Debs McCaffrey Corsairs in Lake Washington Home The Corsair is one of the worlds most distinctive looking fighters. The inverted gull-wing is it's most identifiable characteristic. The Corsair was developed at the beginning of 1938, at the request of the U.S. Navy, which ordered the construction of the prototype of a new single-seat carrier-based fighter with advanced characteristics. The Corsair scored a number of Navy firsts.

It was the first Navy single engine fighter to fly over 400 miles an hour. The Corsair also set a record for payload, when Charles Lindbergh took off with a 4,000lb payload; the heaviest flown by a single engine aircraft at that point in WWII. The F4U-2 was the Navy's first night fighter and paved the way for other night fighters in WWII and Korea. A Corsair was the only piston-powered Navy aircraft to shoot down a jet in the Korean War. In addition, the Navy's only ace of the Korean war, Lt. Guy P. Bordelon Jr., flew a corsair. The Marines were given numerous copies of this aircraft as well and had a great deal of success. The F4U was nicknamed, "whistling death" by the Japanese because of the sound the oil cooler vanes made. In later stages of the war, the Corsair was armed with weapons ranging from 500 to 1,000lb bombs, 20mm cannon, and napalm. There are a number of Corsairs in Lake Washington including one which was recovered, resorted and is now on exhibit at the Seattle Museum of Flight.

Corsairs Image Gallery This Corsair is in rather poor shape at this time but some pieces of the aircraft can still be identified. In this image you can see the large radial engine which powered the aircraft. At the top of the image the engine drive shaft can be identified as it disappears into the murky waters. The fuselage of this aircraft is in very poor shape. Little evidence remains of this once powerful fighting machine. Fortunately, some wing pieces still remain. In this image you can see one of the hydraulic mechanisms which controlled the wing. This is the same image as above but from a different angle. Here you can clearly see the wings shape and hydraulic mechanism. This was probably part of the assembly that allowed the wing to fold up for storage on aircraft carriers. Some of the markings still remain. This tailpiece clearly shows some portion of the planes identification. Chance-Vought F4U Corsair – Whistling Death | World of Warplanes History Chance-Vought F4U Corsair – Whistling Death This week, our history spotlight is focused on the American F4U Corsair, an aircraft designed to meet very specific requirements.

With its over-sized propeller and unusual bent wing structure, you’d be forgiven for thinking at first glance that the plane was made from a “pick n’ mix” parts box. However, the plane was very carefully designed with strict objectives in mind. Nonetheless, it went on to become one of the more versatile aircraft in World War II and is sometimes credited as the most successful with an 11-1 victory ratio. As usual, we first take a look at the history of this warplane, and then a quick look at what you can expect from the plane in World of Warplanes. Never Say Impossible During the War, the US Bureau of Aeronautics were notorious for publishing proposal requests with difficult requirements. These requests were sent to the different companies involved in the design of aircraft and each had a certain amount of time to pitch their concepts for meeting the requests. Often the requirements seemed unlikely to be achievable at first glance, by pushing the limits of the available technology. However, the aim was to motivate the manufacturers into designing new technology to meet the requirements. In 1938, one such request was sent out for a high performance, carrier-based fighter with four guns and anti-aircraft bombs.

The request was sent to all the major manufacturers of the time, who were invited to submit their designs. Chance-Vought picked up the request and put their chief designer on the job, a man named Rex Beisel who had a saying: “The difficult we do immediately. The impossible will take a week, ten days at most.” Engine Matters The first major design element to consider was the choice of engine. One unusual element of the proposal request was that designs with liquid-cooled engines would be considered, contradicting a previous policy of only using air-cooled engines for ship-board engines. Some of the companies involved in the bidding process went for this option, but Vought stuck with air-cooled radial engines for their proposals. After consideration, the Bureau of Aeronautics went for one of Vought’s designs, the one featuring the new Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine. This was an experimental engine with 18 cylinders, twin row and was rated at a massive 1850 horse power – more than 100 hp for each individual cylinder. Of course, this huge engine had really been designed for larger aircraft.

This meant that to incorporate it into the small frame of a carrier-based fighter, the designers had to think creatively. In order to convert the huge power of the engine into thrust, the propeller had to be extremely large; around 4 metres in diameter. However, this created a problem with deck clearance for the massive propeller. Out-of-the-Box Thinking The designers were left with a conundrum. In order to have enough deck clearance, either the landing gear would have to be longer, or the propeller shortened. Neither of these options were desirable. The landing gear for carrier-based fighters had to be strong enough to withstand the pounding of a deck landing. Lengthening the leg would weaken it too much, and shortening the prop would be a waste of the power of the engine. To get around this problem, the designers came up with a novel solution – the bent ‘gull wing’ design. This meant that the landing gear could be mounted on the lower tip of the wing bend giving it enough strength for a deck landing whilst having enough clearance for the long prop. It was later discovered that this design also improved the aerodynamics of the plane, boosting the top speed. The wing design wasn’t the only innovation in the plane.

The designers also opted for joining the parts together with a newly-introduced technique called ‘spot welding’. This meant there were no protruding rivets to interfere with the airstream. Of course, since the introduction of spot welding in the 1930s, it is now prolific to the present day! The rest of the airframe was designed with similar concerns – nothing was allowed to protrude, everything was streamlined. Even the landing gear was designed with this in mind; instead of the classic retracting gear which left part of the wheel exposed, the wheels on the Corsair were designed to swivel by 90° and fold up to fit flat inside the bottom of the wing. Nothing’s Perfect The first flight trials in 1940 were a success, setting a new record by being the first single-engine US fighter to beat 400 miles per hour (640 km per hour). An order for 584 units was promptly made. However, as the planes then started to undergo trials on various US carriers in 1941, problems began to emerge. Many of these were to do with the very long nose of the plane – over 4 metres in front of the pilot.

When the plane was sitting in the take-off position, the nose pointed upwards, meaning that the pilot couldn’t see anything. In addition, when landing, it made it impossible for the pilot to see the Landing Signals Officer. Oil and fluid leaks from the engine compartment added to the problem, by streaking across the windshield, restricting visibility even more. The result of these problems was that the Corsair was deemed unsuitable for carriers (despite that being the original design goal). All the planes were sent to the US Marines for land-based duties. Here though, they excelled and receiving an outstanding combat record. Corsairs were also sent to Britain, France, New Zealand and Australia during World War II. Indeed, it was the British who managed to find a way to use the plane on their carriers, by altering the final approach landing pattern to a slow continuous curve, only aligning with the deck to touch down at the last second. This meant the pilot could keep the Signals Officer in view up until the last moment. They also managed to fix the problem with the fluid leakage by fixing the panels shut with wire. This diverted the fluid streams onto the fuselage rather than the cockpit.

Whistling Death For the US Marines and the other nations using the Corsair, the plane performed exceptionally well. The Marines put the plane to good use in the Pacific Theatre against the Japanese, using islands as mobile bases to launch the planes from. The plane had an outstanding success rate. Exact numbers are disputed, but some texts state the plane managed eleven victories for every Corsair lost in air-to-air combat. Sadly a lot more were lost to anti-aircraft fire, reflecting their common use as fighter-bombers. However, the Japanese considered the plane to be a serious threat and nicknamed it ‘Whistling Death’ due to the distinctive high-pitched sound made by wind through the engine vents. The plane also proved to be successful for the British Royal Navy who also put them to use against the Japanese, launching them off carriers. Innovation and Evolution The Corsair did get several upgrades. The original Corsair was the F4U-1. The F4U-2 was a night fighter version, used to provide air cover during night operations. The F4U-3 was an experimental version using a turbocharger to maintain the power of the engine at maximum for longer periods of time. Only a handful were made, though.

The F4U-4 was the first significant variant. It featured an even larger version of the engine (capable of up to 2769 hp) and had a four-bladed propeller instead of a three-bladed one. The cockpit was also redesigned to improve protection and visibility. The F4U-4 arrived too late in World War II to make a difference, but was used extensively in the Korean War. Two more variants followed – the F4U-5 and the F4U-7 (there was no F4U-6). The F4U-5 was basically an F4U-4 with minor improvements, whilst the F4U-7 was a version developed exclusively for the French Air Force. After the War Once World War II had ended, the F4U-Corsair (now most commonly the F4U-4 variant) served extensively in the Korean War as close support. As the war drew on though, it started to get very outclassed by the newer jet planes that were becoming more and more common. Corsairs also served all over the world over the years following World War II, but were also gradually phased out in favour of jet engines.

A large number of Corsairs have survived to the present day, many in the hands of private collectors. They are a common sight at air shows in America and across the world. This video shows the Corsair in action. During the flybys you can hear the distinctive sound that resulted in the plane being nicknamed ‘Whistling Death’! The F4U Corsair in World of Warplanes The F4U in World of Warplanes is a Tier VI Carrier-based Fighter in the American Tech Tree. It comes with several configurations, all variants of the F4U-1. The plane is a powerful beast that could take some time to master, just like in real life. However, in the hands of an ace, it will be a lethal opponent to face. Use your power to stay ahead of your foes and fly tactically – you are not the fastest of turners, so you can’t rely on being able to dodge incoming attacks. Weather them as best you can and deliver death of your own before moving on. Some of the configurations available for the plane come with two bombs. If you have them, choose your targets carefully and drop them as soon as you can. Your manoeuvrability will improve as a result.

Otherwise, you can choose a configuration without them for immediate manoeuvrability but at the cost of the benefit to your team’s superiority. Happy flying! Hear Why The WW2 Corsair Is Called 'Whistling Death' - World War Wings Advertisement When You Heard This, It Was Probably Already Too Late Built to be a carrier-based plane, the first model of the Corsair was initially unsuitable for Navy use due to its poor landing performance. This role was thus filled by the Grumman F6F Hellcat, but once the landing problems were solved, it quickly became the carrier-plane of choice. During its stint for the U.S. Navy, the Corsair had a 11:1 kill ratio, making it one of the best Navy planes of World War II. Advertisement In order to make the Corsair more suitable for carrier landings, the following adjustments were made: Their wings were ‘clipped’ to clear the deckhead A bulged canopy was installed to increase visibility Wiring shut the cowl flaps of the engine compartment, diverting oil and hydraulic fluids With these improvements, the Corsair was the longest produced piston-engined fighter in U.S. history.

Manufactured toward the end of the War from 1942-1953, there were a total of 12,571 Corsairs built. Serving primarily in World War II and the Korean War, the demand for the Corsair was so popular that it quickly overwhelmed its manufacturer, Vought, and was then picked up by manufacturers Goodyear and Brewster. Advertisement Want To Know How The WW2 Corsair Got Its Nickname? Watch This! Want To Know How The WW2 Corsair Got Its Nickname? Watch This! SHARE: Facebook Twitter What was the role of the Corsair in World War 2? You are about to find out by watching this informative video. The Corsair was manufactured by Goodyear in 1942 under license from Vought in Akron, Ohio. It was initially to be used as a carrier-based aircraft, but it had significant landing problems with its “birdcage” style canopy. This limited the visibility for taxiing on deck. Also, the plane could bounce on landing which sometimes caused it to lose control or miss the hook and crash into barriers.

Even with these early problems, demand was high for the aircraft and Vought outsourced to both Goodyear and Brewster. To differentiate between the two, aircraft built by Goodyear were called FG and aircraft built by Brewster were named F3A. This plane was multifunctional in use. It was both a great Dogfighter, as well as providing ground support. Until the landing problems were fixed, the US Marines used the plane on a land-based role only. Once the problems were fixed, it became one of the most capable carrier-based fighter-bombers of the war. Corsairs were used extensively in a fighter-bomber capacity in the Central Pacific and the Philippines. At the beginning of 1944, the limits of the Corsair were being tested. Charles Lindbergh, in conjunction with the Marines, flew Corsairs as a civilian technical advisor. His job was to investigate how to increase the Corsair’s payload and range in an attack role. Marines were also testing the aircraft’s capabilities in a support role during amphibious landings. The plane was known for its huge and noisy radial engine. While watching this video listen out for the whistling noise it makes in a high-speed dive.

This should give you a clue as to its nickname. The Japanese had another name for the Corsair, The Whistling Death Boy. FEATURED VIDEO

Question: Which U.S. fighter was nicknamed Whistling Death by the Japanese
Answer: Corsair